Excerpt from "Pinned but Fluttering" Chapter 31

I stayed up until two o'clock in the morning, working on this chapter. I have about four pages written so far, so I'm about halfway done with the rough draft. My hope is to post the completed chapter by Saturday at the latest.

Thanks for your lovely support and encouragement! It's because of YOU that I stay up writing at two in the frickin' morning!! :) 

So let me know what you think, okay?

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From Chapter 30:

“Esme, you'll tell me the truth, right?” I asked. 

Esme nodded, her forehead creased with concern as she gently squeezed my hand in encouragement.

“Okay,” I repeated, psyching myself up to ask the real question now. I looked at her steadily, ignoring the spiking of my heart as I asked quietly, “Esme, I know that you can't tell me much about what you all really are, but I need to know one thing. Just one thing.”

I took a deep breath, then whispered, “Esme, is it really, truly safe for me to stay here with your family?” 

Chapter 31: 

Esme's eyes never left mine, but I felt her grip on my hand tighten almost imperceptibly. She hesitated for a moment, then opened her mouth to answer my question as two figures appeared in the doorway with a suddenness that made me jump with surprise. 

Carlisle and Edward entered my room together, both of their expressions grim. From the frequent glances that Carlisle kept directing toward Edward, I caught Carlisle's anxiety...he was worried about Edward.

But why? 

It didn't help that Esme was giving Edward similar worried looks.

What the hell was going on here? 

As the silence stretched, I became impatient. I scooted myself up in my bed to a sitting position, declining Esme's quiet offer of help. She did shift a couple of pillows behind my back to help me sit up more comfortably, and I gave her with a thin smile of thanks.

“Will someone please answer my question?” I asked, trying to keep the impatience out of my voice but unable to suppress a slight nervous quiver. “Is it really safe for me to stay here with you all?”

Carlisle and Edward spoke at exactly the same time, their emphatic voices overlapping but still easily understood. “Of course you're safe in our home,” Carlisle started, then stopped as Edward's voice overtook his in intensity as well as volume.

“No, you are in great danger if you stay here,” Edward stated flatly. Then as Carlisle stopped speaking, Edward continued alone, “You are in danger at this very moment, as you have been since you first set foot on the grounds of Forks High School.” The sincerity of his midnight black eyes bore into mine, and I couldn't stop the shiver of fear racing up my spine. 

Here, at last, was the Truth.

 “Edward, you're exaggerating. Don't frighten Bella, dear,” Esme pleaded.

“No,” Edward raised his voice slightly as he turned to his mother. “I am not exaggerating in the slightest, and Isabella needs to be frightened...so frightened that she leaves...and never returns.”

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Okay, there it is. I'm still working on "On Our Way Home," too; I'm just not sure when I'll finish it. Although I'm off next week, I have a lot going of grading to do for my online and co-op classes, plus it's my daughter's 20th birthday on Easter Monday, so we'll probably go see Titanic in 3D. 


And I have massive grading to do all day Tuesday and Wednesday, then classes to teach all day Thursday, then taking the boys to tutoring, then to lessons on Friday. So this week is MY week for writing the extra story and getting ahead on my other ones (yes, I'm working on three right now--all for YOU!). 

So we'll see how this week pans out and how much I can get done while still trying to REST during my break.... ;) 

Much love to you all,

Cassandra :)